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Episode Sixty-One

The glass doors to the entrance of The Holgate Times building slide open and Sergeant Michael Anders steps inside. He walks up to the front desk where he can see a receptionist working away diligently at her computer. She doesn’t notice him.

Sergeant Anders waits for her patiently. She must notice that he’s standing there soon enough.

As he waits, he looks around the reception area. On the walls, he sees photos of the newspaper’s staff. They smile back at him as if they are welcoming him. He scans the photos quickly and sees a familiar face. Amber Harp smiles back at him from her place on the wall. Amber Harp. Crime Reporter.

“Can I help you?” the receptionist finally acknowledges Michael’s presence. “We’re just about to close for the evening.”

“I need to speak to someone in charge,” Michael offers.

“I’m in charge of reception,” the receptionist says, deadpan, not taking her eyes off of her computer screen. “What do you want?”

Michael senses he is not going to get far with the woman. “I’m a police officer investigating the disappearance of one of your employees, Amber Harp.”

“What do you mean? That’s why she went there originally. To investigate his murder.”

“You know journalists,” the receptionist says, putting her glasses back on and going back to her screen. “They always have a cover story.”

“A cover story?”

“She was in Peppercorn Patch to investigate a murder,” the receptionist offers. “The murder of her husband.”

Anna-Maree Axe sits on her bed. In front of her, strewn across it, is the paperwork that she had taken from the deposit box when she had visited the local bank. She pushes the paperwork to the floor as she rummages through it, still unable to find what she has been looking for.

“Where is it?” she says to herself, impatiently.

There is a knock at the locked bedroom door. Her husband. “Anna?” Joseph Axe calls out. “Are you still sleeping? I’ve made some dinner if you want some.”

Anna-Maree hurriedly collects the paperwork strewn across the room and dumps it into the wooden chest sitting next to the bed. She throws a blanket on the top of the paper and closes the chest’s lid.

“How long have I been asleep for?” Anna-Maree feigns, opening the door groggily.

“About an hour,” Joseph replies, hugging his wife.

“You’re such a good husband,” Anna-Maree says. “Thanks for dinner. I might grab a bite to eat later, but I just need to go for a walk.”

“Sure, honey,” Joseph says. “Don’t be too late.”

“I’m so lucky to have you,” Anna-Maree says, grabbing a coat off the stand and exiting the front door.

“I know,” she says faintly, looking off into the sunset. She catches herself quickly, returning his gaze and smiling politely. “I’ve just been through so much. I’m just not sure about anything anymore.”

Anna-Maree steps down to the water’s edge. It was the same meeting point that she had used to meet up with her old acquaintance when she first arrived in town. Next to the river. In the dark. She hoped that no-one could see her.

“Thank you for meeting with me again,” Anna-Maree says when her guest arrives.

“I don’t have time for this,” her acquaintance huffs.

“I have to know where it is,” Anna-Maree pleads. “I know that you’ve taken it.”

Joanne ignores Kyle and reaches further out to Thomas. “I know,” she says to her biological brother. Before he knows it, she reaches for the handgun. Thomas grabs Joanne’s hand, struggling at first, then stopping and gazing into her eyes. Tears flow.